…Writes Amaechi, Proffer Solutions
The pioneer Vice Chairman, Governing Council, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Aare Hakeem Olanrewaju has given reasons why there is a rush by freight forwarders to occupy positions in the council.
While picking holes in the way and manner the council is presently run, he also proffered solutions on the myriad of ills plaguing the council since the tenure of the first and second Governing Council elapsed years ago.
In a press statement addressed to the Minister of Transportation, Right Hon, Rotimi Amaechi, he drew the attention of the former governor of Rivers State to the anomalies in the council.
The press release which was obtained by Maritime Bits, gave an insight into why he decided to go public with his position on the matter.
His words: “I have course to write this second press release for the attention of the Honourable Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and by so doing putting it on record. I do so because I know too well the level of commitments, selfless sacrifices deployed to attain the milestones achievements recorded by members of the first and second Governing Council.
“I am stating so in my capacity as the former Governing Council first Vice Chairman in the first Governing Council and Chairman of the second Governing Council of the CRFFN. Neither conscience nor posterity will be fair to me to witness the way and manner our professional essence (the regulatory council) is drifting at an alarming speed and state and to keep mute and watch in the face of a thriving professional recklessness and impunity to say the least amount to leadership failure on my path.”
Continuing, Olanrewaju who is the Managing Director of Talod Oceanair Freight Limited also drew the attention of Amaechi to the causes of the seeming endless rancour amongst the practitioners.
He averred that as presently constituted, the number of unaccredited associations by the CRFFN is far greater than the five accredited ones and under such arrangements, industrial peace cannot be easily guaranteed.
According to him, it was for the avoidance of these dangerous trends and for reasons of fostering adherence to professional conduct and integrity that the first and second governing council leadership was very careful with this type of financial patronages to associations. Mostly so, because the possibility of the unaccredited associations coming together to join issues with the CRFFN management may be likely, hence, the need to nurture regulation that will engender industrial peace, other than sacrificing the peace we so much canvassed on the altar of poor regulatory efficiency, thereby leading to further setbacks.
He argued that since the CRFFN was interpreted as an agency of the government by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, at no time must government be seen as sharing its revenue with an individual or corporate body.
He expressed dismay that this logic that informed the decision taken by the first and second Governing Council of the CRFFN was no longer the case going by what is presently obtainable in the council in recent times.
He enjoined Amaechi to use “his good office” to avert what he called “looming professional chaos ahead” in the council.
